As your PBS station, it is KLRU’s mission to bring people together around important issues. KLRU does this through various educational and outreach initiatives. Our newest effort is a national collaboration called Next Avenue that features resources and an online discussion of issues facing those 50+. As part of that project we are also airing, Growing Bolder Sundays at 10:30 am on KLRU. Growing Bolder delivers empowering stories that inspire audiences of all ages to believe that it’s never too late to achieve their dreams. It features stories of masters athletes, cancer survivors, musicians, health experts, entrepreneurs and more.

Upcoming Episodes:

August 4: Mind Over Matter
Family, Friends and Pancakes – We spend our days talking to or in search of ordinary people living extraordinary lives. And what we’ve learned is that anyone can do it. All it takes is passion. And the best thing about passion is that it’s contagious. Dr. Jack Beattie has it. And his family and friends have caught it. Mind Over Matter – Jennifer Field was 17 when a car accident left her comatose with a severe brain injury. Few expected her to survive. But she did. Fewer expected any kind of recovery. And it HAS been a battle, step by agonizing step, for nearly 20 years. Now, she travels the country, performing a one-woman show, re-living her story so that others who’ve suffered traumatic brain injuries never lose hope.

August 11: Quiet Confidence
Discover Your Inner Sex Symbol – The expression “less is more” has never been more true. Women are taking it off, to turn it back on! Boudoir photography is hot, in more ways that one! And it’s not just those young, skinny 20-somethings, it’s women in mid-life and beyond who are giving their all, well, just about, to prove that age is irrelevant! Celebrating 50 Years of Skydiving History – On August 16, 1960, Air Force Capt. Joe Kittinger rode a helium balloon to 102,800 feet — the very edge of space — and jumped. Fifty years later, to commemorate man’s longest leap, Kittinger became the first inductee into the National Skydiving Museum Hall of Fame.

August 18: No Limits
How World Records are Broken – Motivated by the stories we do every week, Growing Bolder CEO Marc Middleton got back in the pool for the first time in 35 years. That was two years ago. Today, Marc is a member of Rowdy Gaines’ Blu Frog Masters Team and now, the Froggers have something to croak about. World War II’s Fading Memories – There aren’t many people like Bill Coleman. There used to be, but World War II vets are vanishing. It’s why their stories are so important. Not just for their first-hand accounts, but also to ensure the lessons they learned don’t just fade into history.

August 25: Small Actions: Big Impact
Hey, Your Nose is Growing! – There are very few full-time marionette theaters in the country. One of them, Pinocchio’s Marionette Theater near Orlando, Florida, is dedicated to keeping the vanishing art alive. See why they believe puppetry is not only still relevant but even more necessary in these high-tech times. Andy’s New Bike – Andy was born with fetal alcohol syndrome 40 years ago. His adoptive and loving parents have always encouraged him to get involved in life and he has. He has a job, a lot of friends and gets all around town on his beloved bicycle. So, imagine his despair when it was stolen. And imagine his surprise when the very people he thought were a nuisance turned out to be some of the best friends he ever had.